How it all started!
While growing up
near Seattle at Three Tree Point,
many of us had the opportunity to be
on the water all summer
long.....whether it was fishing,
swimming or water skiing, it was a
great life. Upon graduating
from Highline High School and
preparing to go to the University of
Washington, a neighbor, Tom Ables,
suggested that I should do two
things: Row for the UW Crew
and also become a member of his
fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi.
Both suggestions happily took place
in 1951. Tom was
additionally instrumental in
recruiting nearly ten of the local
fellows who also joined the Phi Psi
fraternity.
Jim Howay was also a
pledge at that time and together,
Jim and I held down the bow and
stroke seat of the UW Freshman
crew. During the 1951 IRA
National crew races, we were
fortunate enough to be in the
winning boat of that Freshman
race. We continued to
row for the UW during the balance of
our college years enjoying
additional success. The UW has
a wonderful website http://www.huskycrew.com/1950.htm
that documents our four years which
is only a small portion of the
entire history of UW rowing
displayed on this site.
Flashing ahead to
1986, several of us older “retired”
oarsmen decided to return to the
sport of rowing and form an
organization called The Ancient
Mariners Rowing Club.
Numbering about thirty members now,
these competitive master rowers have
competed in races held in locations
from California to Canada and have
been very successful. Again,
as with the Phi Kappa Psi
experience, many good friendships
have developed that continue thru
the years. The Ancient
Mariners train and race currently
from the new Pocock Rowing Center
located near Lake Washington.
The workouts basically retrace the
same practice and race routes taken
when many of us were rowing for the
UW over 60 years ago!
And so, it has been
a very interesting life thru these
many years. It is of
particular interest to reminisce and
document a few of these past years
with some old photographs showing
the Phi Kappa Psi and UW Crews back
then...and also a few pictures of
the Ancient Mariner Crew’s more
recent activities.
Reunions are always
a lot of fun and it was suggested
that this summer might present an
marvelous opportunity to once again
bring the 1950’s era brothers
together for a lunch.
Accordingly, reservations have been
made at the Seattle Yacht Club for a
noon lunch on Saturday, June 16th,
2012. Further details will be
emailed to those brothers of record
that may be interested in attending
such an event....so here’s an early
date to add to your summer dance
card! Phi Kappa Psi
lunch...Seattle Yacht Club...
Saturday, June 16th, 2012
So now, please enjoy
the following mini tour of those
wonderful college years and
reminisce with your recollections of
the many faces, names, dances,
gatherings and of course, the entire
Phi Kappa Psi experience!
Guy Harper ‘51
Washington Alpha
Seattle
